The Rural Voice, 2002-10, Page 551
RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
41,*
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 100
807-486-3622
itimomilL
RAINY RIVER VALLEY - The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy
River Federation members by the RRFA
September 18, 2002
The frost is on the pumpkins and
harvesting is well underway. Farmers
are either cutting crops as green feed
or salvaging whatever managed to
survive the heavy rains that came this
spring. It's been a most unusual year
so far and the forecasters predict much
of the same.
It's been a great growing season for
sunflowers, and tomatoes. If someone
has a good recipe for eradicating
raccoons, we'll be able to enjoy a few
cobs of corn one of these years.
They've managed to destroy the
cornpatch, eat the eggs from the
henhouse, slay baby chicks and the
mother hens, and the last straw was the
execution of my prize rooster. I no
longer consider this masked bandit a
cute animal. Any remedy will be
highly considered with gratification.
The September 3 RRFA meeting
was held at Emo with Bernie
Zimmerman, Ken Fisher, Kimio Bliss,
James Gibson, Kelly Teeple, Susan
Boersma, Linda Armstrong, Kristine
Carpenter, Shirley Morrish, Angela
Halvorsen, Jason Teeple and Betty
Salchert attending.
Just over 600 animals were sold at
the cattle sale at Stratton. Prices were
quite strong on the good grade of
cattle. but plainer cattle brought heavy
discounts. Some of our own District
farmers are short of hay as well as our
western neighbours, and it did show up
as the leaner types went through the
ring on Saturday. The next scheduled
sale is Saturday, October 5, with a
good run of calves. It's also the day
that Bob Radbourne has chosen for his
auction sale. Contact Clayton Teeple
or Russ Richards if you have cattle to
enter. The Top -Of -The -Line Beef
Cattle Sale will be October 19 at the
Stratton Salesyards. Call Kim.io at
482-2863 for details on that one. All
breeds are welcome.
The Research Station at Thunder
Bay has been closed and Gord
Scheifele no longer has a job. We all
wish him well for whatever the future
holds — be it hemp growing or great
trips to China, he will survive and
carry onward!
Linda reported for the Farm
Progress Building at the Emo Fair this
year. It made a profit and the survey
that she took time to work on, stated
that the event itself is a good thing
with good promotion, and a value to
business.
Betty is busy heading the
entertainment committee for the
annual RRFA meeting, which takes
place on October 19. Barry Potter (not
Harry) will be guest speaker and the
music is bluegrass. Think about letting
your name stand for the election that
evening. Take part from the inside
instead of complaining on the outside.
So far there have been several crop
circles reported in 2002. Reports come
from several countries. August and
September are the prime months to
spot these beautiful designs from the
air.
Feed shortages. dry pastures and
diminished ma'rkets have raised
concerns that some elk producers will
release herds into the wild. Setting
farmed elk free is illegal. and risks
spreading disease to wild herds.
Bernie reporting for the dairy
farmers said the fall conference comes
up in October. There was an "udder
specialist" in the district from Nova
Scotia. He was here to visit dairy
farms by request, to point out potential
problems.
Betty also reported that their Mud
Lake City tour hosted 700 people on
their big day. It was also the Sunday of
the Dryden Fair and the annual
Hereford Potluck Picnic. so nobody
was home that day. Next year. Betty
and Wayne will host their event the
Sunday following the Emo fair, so
plan on attending. It's a great time to
be had by all.
Ag week will be celebrated with a
harvest festival in Fort Frances. The
Business Improvement Association
takes this on. Over at the Clover
Valley Farmers' Market. our Ag
Awareness committee will be
promoting apples. Betty has joined us
this season to assist Kristine. Shirley
and Pat with her famous apple dip.
There will be samples, recipes.
posters, varieties of apples and fun
stuff for kids. Ag Week is October 6-
12 this year and there are 13 different
varieties of Ontario apples.
Farm Safety says be careful while
harvesting. Grain augers have a
reputation for farm injuries
Positioning the auger at the bin site has
risks: the auger driven by a tractor
with no shield is another hazard
Sometimes the worker is in a hurry
and wants the auger to take up the
grain faster, helping with a hand or
foot. The rotating auger can more
quicker than the eye and this is where
a limb is mangled or possibly sheared
off.
Wear safety equipment while
working: it will pay. Farming is the
only industry where children under 16
years of age are fatally injured in
occupational accidents. Don't let your
child do the work of an adult. Farm
machinery has only one seat. and is for
the driver only. If a child should fall
from the tractor. it is not likely that the
machinery could be stopped in time to
prevent a disaster. The tractor or
combine is no place to babysit.
There is a telephone counselling
and referral service provided to
farmers and their families in the
province of Ontario. It is confidential
and toll free at 1-888-451-2903.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture will hold their annual
meeting and convention at the
International Plaza Hotel in Toronto
on November 25 and 26. 2002.
The Rainy River Cattlemen had a
clean-up day before the sale. Thanks to
Archie Wiersema, Tom Morrish.
Kristine Carpenter. Jo Bragg.
Chantelle and Nelson. Len Kuorikoski.
Clayton Teeple. Shirley Morrish.
Allan Joliquer and Rick Boersma who
gave their time that day to prepare for
the cattle sale.
"You have not lived a perfect day
unless you have done something for
someone who will never he able to
repay you." — Ruth Smelzer
"Happy Birthday" to KimJo BI
at the Research Station for September
30.
"If you're never scared.
embarrassed or hurt, it means you
never take chances."
Remember to mark the date for the
annual meeting on October 19. Matt
Neilson turns 16 years old that day.
Where does the time go!0
— Submitted by Shirle \ tlnrrich
OCTOBER 2002 51